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We couldn’t think of a better community spotlight for this month. Nichiren Shu Buddhist Sangha of Chicago has been hosting free community events with us for almost a year and we are super honored to be the home base of their work.
Who is Nichiren Shu Buddhist Sangha of Chicago?
We are an eclectic community doing our best to be better people, look inward, and to leave this world better than we found it. We follow a traditional Japanese school of Buddhism that is rooted in the Lotus Sutra. We host monthly open-to-the-public Buddhist services, free monthly meditation classes, and social events. We are service-minded and are passionate about putting our Buddhist principles into action to better our community.
How did your group begin and what has it meant to your community?
The Nichiren Shu Buddhist Sangha of Chicago started in 2019 under the guidance of Ven. Kenjo Igarashi of the Nichiren Shu tradition. We attempt to cultivate a space for re-centering and rooted activism, as the Lotus Sutra is a doctrine of radical equality. We are a Mahayana Buddhist school, which means we believe in collective liberation–we all get there, or none of us do. We are not free until all of us are free. We are simultaneously a space of social connection, spiritual introspection, and community activism.
What does it mean to hold your programming at Movement on Montrose?
Before Movement on Montrose, we were functionally homeless. We were forced to meet in our member’s homes and in back rooms. Movement on Montrose gave us a stable home base. Finally, we are easily accessible to the public, and have been able to begin advertising and holding space for people to learn about the Lotus Sutra. Without MoM, none of this would be possible.
More details about upcoming events from Nichiren Shu Sangha Buddhist of Chicago can be found on their Linktree and Instagram.
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